Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-11-19
ON THE BORDER.

my tune, rom uOuOnnG NAIe 1tOrn as a sailor to digging gold as a miner, and fighting Indians as a scout, and yet the closest escape I ever had from death was with my eyes wide open and through my own stupidity. Early in the seven ties, was down in the Indian territory buying horses for shipment east. I had partner. and we travelled with our own team in a covered wagon. That terri tory is not any too peaceful now, but in '72-3 you not only wanted a tr,lsty rife with you, but you wanted the knack of dropping your man first. Travelling from ranch to ranch as we did, with every body knowing that we had money to buy horses with, our situation was one requiring constant vigilance. There was never a night that both of us slept at once, and never a day thst we were not on the watch for some plan to get the better of us. In one trip of three months we had five different watch dogs pois- oncd, and finally gave up trying to keep one. You might imagine that it would have been worth while for some of the predatory bands roaming the country to make an open attack on us, but the fel- lows reasoned differently. A couple of men armed with Winchesters and re- volvers, and determined to defend their own at any cost, are antagonists not to be despised. Your western outlaw, with very few exceptions, is just as careful about getting bullet into his body as any one else.
 One day in July, while we were on the north fork of the Canadian river, and about twenty miles below Shawneetown, one of the horses in our team was bitten by rattlesnake. I was driving. and saw the snake as it lifted itself from the grass and bit the horse twice on the leg. It was hot dov, the horses well heated up, and the poison took effect very soon. We had no remedy for it. but were com pelled to stand by and see the animal sui fer and die. It wasn't quite an hour after he was struck before he was dead. In buying horses we stipulated for deliv cry at certain points, and thus had no spare ones with Us. To make our team whole one of us must take the other horse and ride off and make purchase. I had been over the route before, and I knew that the nearest ranch was twelve miles up the river. 1t was now o'clock in the afternoon, and we were within half milo of the stream c1l n q wild and lonely district of country. We had with us in a tin box in the wagon over $4, 600 in gold. and the misfortune to our horse naturally increased our anxieties. My partner insisted that should bo the one to remain with the wagon. and he had no sooner moved away than began to make things secure. The very first move was 4o &olr fba bury it ill the ground under the vehicle, and after that I stalzed out the horse, saw that every firearm was in good order, and beat around the camp to drive away any reptiles lurking about.
 There was no use ill expecting Patton, my partner, back before 8 o'clock or later. He would doubtless find a suitable horse at the first ranch. but the ranch man might be away, or there were a dozen other reasons to call for delay. We carried provisions with us. and at about 6 o'clock I built fire and prepared my supper, and was about to begin eating l when l caught sight of horse and rider approaching camp from the northwest. The ground was open for three or four miles, and as l had a glass with me l made out, while the horse was yet mile and n half away, that he bore woman on his back. Had she been squaw the the sight would not have occasioned sur prise, but the first look proved that she was white and that her horse was faded and coming slowly. As I held the glass on her saw her turn and look back, as one pursued, and long before she reached me l had become greatly interested in her case. She rode straight for the wagon, and when she finally came up her horse was very much blown, and the woman s face seemedsto betray both hope and fear by turns. She was an average locking female, about 40 years old, and as she drew rein beside me we surveyed each other for half q minute before either spoke. During that interval caught an expression on her face which did not at all like. It was a sly, sinister look. but it passed swiftly away, and wa. replaced by one of anxiety. was the first to speak, saying:
 Well, are you in trouble?'
 ''In great trouble, sir" she replied "I have been living with my brother or a small ranch about fifteen miles distant Two hours ago dozen drunken Kicka poo Indians visited the place, wounded my brother and set fire to the house, ant would have assaulted me had 1 not flet on this horse. They pursued me fo several miles, and I-I"-
 Hero she broke down and began to CT, and sob. What could do but ask he
 to dismount, give her my promise of pro
 lection, and say that when my partne
 returned we would drive straight to tn
 ranch and sacrifice our lives, if need be
 to rescue her brother and teach the In dians lesson? She did not come dow
 without considerable palaver, seeming t
 be very sensitive about getting me int
 trouble, and when she did take a seat o
 the blankets prepared for her. she con
 tinued to cry and lament and would no
 touch mouthful of food.
 It had grown dark by the time ha
 eaten my supper, and it was now time t
 look for Patton. I sought, as any ma
 would have done under the circum
 stances. to cheer the woman up, and and by she gave over crying and scene bit more hopeful. She explained tha she had removed to the territory frol
 Clarssville, Ark, three years before
 being widow with one son. The So
 had died within the year, and the brother
 who was an old bachelor, and not in goo
 health, had come on to remain until tt
 place could be sold out. A Kickapc
 buck had taken great fancy to tL
 woman and wanted to marry her, an